Shadowing the Eagle
by Pandrawolf
Summary: A magpie shadowing an eagle. Two fibers of fate met, tangled and joined. EzioxOC.
1. Stubborn eagles fall from the sky

**Chapter 1 : Stubborn eagles fall from the sky**

Hooves clattering on the paved road was the main sound in her ears, shutting out all other. A young woman, black curls escaping the hold of her black hood, sat bend over a galloping horse's nape, holding on to the reigns, smoothly alleviating the horse's movement with her relaxed frame. A magpie flew high above the rider, screeching from time to time and gaining height with slow flaps of her wings.

The woman was riding away from a large, sunlit Monteriggioni. It's rough circular walls had protected the town and the large villa for several centuries from raids and armies, with Mario Auditore as regal of the walled town. He ruled the mercenaries with a firm, but sincere hand, and was famous for his humor and thunderous laugh.

The woman reigned her stallion sharply to the right, urging him to stop. The horse reared and whinnied loudly, kicking his front legs high in the air. Once he calmed down, the woman softly stroked his shoulder. The magpie, that had been circling above rider and horse, now soared down from the sky and landed softly on the woman's shoulder, screeching.

The woman gazed for a long time at the walled town, and her eyes lingered on its towers and front gate.

'Ego vobis valedico..' She murmured, either to herself, or to someone who was too far away to hear.

Her gaze lingered for another moment, but then she turned her stallion around again, pushed her heels in the horse's flanks and urged him forward. Startled by the sudden sprint, the magpie chattered, annoyed at her companion, and flew back up.

Iola had been on the way for a day and a half when she finally saw the outer walls of Firenze. On the way she encountered many travelers, but most of them were on foot. Only a few traveled by horse, but none of them matched the speed of the black stallion.

As Firenze's walls grew bigger, Iola squinted her eyes against the setting sun. Firenze looked gorgeous, bathing in the orange light, and soon the low buzz of people's conversations reached her ears. When she finally reached the main gate, the sun had fully set, and the last orange glow was departing from the sky.

She parked Baleno, her black stallion, at the stables near the gate. There she threatened the stable-boy, and made him swear on his ancestor's grave that he would take good care of the horse. The boy, a sluggish type with filthy, dark hair and watery eyes, seemed deadly afraid of her and the enormous magpie sitting on her shoulder. After being sure that the boy was sincere, Iola entered the city, holding her head down while blending in with the crowd past the guards of the gate.

Avis, the huge magpie, was still perked on Iola's shoulder, and eyed all the shimmering stuff around her. She let out a soft, longing screech. Iola chuckled softly and calmed the bird with a soft stroke of her fingers.

The guards, dressed with the emblem of Firenze, looked slightly curious at the woman clad in black with the magpie at her shoulder, but backed away, startled, when the bird spread her wings and chattered threateningly at them.

Avis was a full grown magpie, bigger than most, because of her wealthy appetite, and had been Iola's companion from the moment she found her. Her head, neck and breast were a glossy black with a metallic green and pearly shine, the belly and shoulder feathers a pure white; the wings black glossed with green. Her tail shone with a black and almost azure gloss.

Iola chuckled at the bird's reaction to the watchmen, but when they started to pull their weapons out, she quickened her pace and held her head down even more.

Stars popped up at the dark sky, and the last orange glow disappeared. Iola had by then crossed most of the city, and had made her way to the mansion of the Auditore's. She had been there before on several occasions, but the last visit had been a long time ago. Avis chattered happily as she saw a deserted jewelry stand, and Iola shooed her off.

Upon reaching the street where the mansion lay, Iola froze in her tracks. It was too silent. Too deserted. Too looming.

Happy about the fact that she had dismissed the noisy magpie, Iola pulled the black hood of her tunic further over her head, hiding her features in its shadows. There was not a person in this neighborhood, it seemed. Loud footsteps coming from the south contradicted that.

A young man, clad in white and hooded, hastened to the Auditore mansion, his breathing rigid and heavy. His face was, too, hidden by his hood. The outfit he was wearing was fairly familiar, and Iola suddenly realized it was a more complicated version of her own outfit, but then white. It had the same shape and details. Iola's was black with azure markings, the man's white with red. A large belt held everything in place. The man's was decorated with a golden insignia, Iola's with a silver one.

Iola's eyes widened as she saw the symbol of the Order on the man's clothes. Was he part of it? Why had she never met him? She decided to follow him, as he entered the Auditore chambers. What was he doing there anyways?

The youth was anxious, and he checked every corner of the house for intruders. Then he silently ran towards the front door, and closed it behind him. The man was too familiar with his surroundings. Did he.. live here? Was he one of the Auditore?

Iola gave the man a minute inside, but then her curiosity kicked in. She didn't have the spirit to wait any longer, and she silently lurked to the inside plaza. Halfway she slowed and walked on her beams towards the door. The door was slightly hanging in its joints, having been jostling pretty much, so she slowly pulled it up a bit, so it wouldn't crack when opened. Iola managed to open the door without any sound.

There was the soft sound of someone searching for something, moving things aside. She slowly moved into the main room, and up to a study, where the noises came from.

Iola was now in Giovanni Auditore's study, and she curiously scanned the room, realizing this was property of Mario Auditore's brother. She was still on her beams, and she stalked around the corner of the fireplace, which lead to a smaller, hidden room. The young man was standing with his back towards the entrance, bowed over the large chest with Giovanni Auditore's possessions. He hadn't noticed the lurking woman yet.

Iola slowly rose from her crouch, hoping she could leave once again without making a sound. Her heart skipped a beat as she stepped on a loose wooden shelf, making an ear deafening screech in the silent room.

Before she could react, the youth had already turned and thrown himself across the room, pinning Iola to the wall.

_'Come osi? _What are you doing here?' He yelled. His hands were tightly gripping the front of her leather clothes, while he kept her against the wall.

Iola, startled by the sudden charge, grabbed his hands, hoping to loose his grip. Her feet were dangling just above the ground, and she had to stand on her toes to support her weight.

The man tightened his grip as he tried to make out the woman's features, and slightly pressed on her windpipe. Iola whimpered softly as her amount of air seemed to slip away, and she scratched the man's hands, to no avail. Alarmed by the sudden yelp, the youth seemed to replace his blind rage with confusion. He softened his grip, clearing her airway, but still kept Iola pinned to the wall.

'A femme..?' He muttered softly, his eyes flashing back and forth over her hidden face. He lowered his arms some more, but waited for a reply.

'Surprised much?' Iola sneered at him, immediately getting defensive, and she tried to break the man's grasp by suddenly struggling against his hold. The youth was somewhat prepared though, and held her firmly in place.

'Who are you? What are you doing here?' The man repeated, letting go of Iola's tunic with one hand to pull down his white hood. Iola ceased her struggling at the moment she saw the youth's eyes, for they stood fierce and passionate in his charming face. His chin was smoothly shaven, and a small scar framed one part of his lips. His face was framed by smooth strands of dark brown, almost black hair. She recognized Mario's eyes in the youth's; this was no intruder, this was a family member visiting his family heirloom.

Iola didn't remain frozen for long, and used his loosened grip to bring her fingers to her mouth and to release a sharp, hard whistle. Startled, the man recovered his grip on Iola's shirt.

'What- ?' The youth started, but a sharp beak pecking at his head cut his sentence short. The man threw up his arms to protect his head from the unknown threat in a reflex, and Iola seized the opportunity to work her way past him, and to pull out one of her broadsword from her back. The pecking ceased, and Avis landed smoothly on Iola's shoulder. The man stopped his moving, and slightly froze when he felt cold steel against his throat.

Avis chattered happily at seeing the result of her actions.

The man's eyes, so similar to Mario's, flashed from angry to confused.

'What's your name?' Iola spoke, her voice icy, tensing the broadsword at his throat. The man tensed too, stubborn, reluctant.

'I don't see how that's any of your business-' He replied, but he was cut off when he felt the sword tighten, close to drawing blood.

'_What _is your name?' Iola repeated, slow, cold, and demanding.

'I'm Ezio Auditore.'

Iola's eyes widened. 'Giovanni's son?'

'Yes.' The youth said, slightly rolling his eyes.

Iola immediately pulled away the sword, turned around and strapped it back to her back. Avis chattered again, confused. Ezio slowly rubbed his throat, making sure no damage had been done, and eyed the woman with caution.

'What happened here? Where is Giovanni? Your family?' Iola hissed, dismissing Avis from her shoulder while turning back to the newly met Ezio.

'Gone.'

'There is more to it than that. Tell me.'

Ezio ignored her demand, eyed Avis, who sat screeching in the corner, then took a step closer.

'First you are going to tell me who _you_ are.'

Iola looked at him from the shadows of her hood and snorted. 'You are not really in the position to set conditions, _messere_, and it would be better if you didn't know me.'

With a swift motion, the woman pulled back her dark hood and shook her hair out of her face. Ezio's sharp eyes widened as he beheld the young woman in front of him. She appeared no older than himself, but she had a certain confidence that was hard to waver. A fine carved face with high cheekbones looked at him; long, smooth black curls framed her face and two pale emerald eyes analyzed his reaction. Her eyes appeared so pale, he would have noted her as blind, but the pupils stood dark and clear, far from sightless.

'All you need to know is that I traveled here from Monteriggioni.' She spoke in a slightly sneering voice.

Ezio cocked one eyebrow, intrigued. 'You must know my uncle then. He's-'

'Mario Auditore, yes I know him.' Iola replied, rolling her eyes in their sockets.

Ezio shot her an indignant look, but then his face turned grave again. He turned away from the woman, and with dismay eyed the ruined house.

'Tell me what happened.' Iola's voice was soft, but demanding once more.

Ezio was silent for a bit, and leaned on his father's desk. He was about to launch a sharp remark at her, telling her that it was none of her business, but then he lowered his head. He felt the need to talk someone, even if it was a female, rude intruder. He was reluctant, though.

'I may be able to help.'

After another hesitation, he told her what had occurred. He told Iola of how big the fight with de Pazzi's had become, but she urged him onward, for de Pazzi's were also bothering Monteriggioni, and she knew their reputation. He told her about how he found out his father and brothers were taken away to the Pallazo della Signoria, how his father was betrayed and how he was send back to the mansion to retrieve the contents of his father's chest.

'And what is _ser _Auditore going to do now?' Iola asked, her remark sneering, one eyebrow raised.

He turned around again and showed her a handful of documents. 'I am going to get these to Uberto Alberti. He'll have the proof to release my family.' He tried to work his way past Iola, but she put her shoulder in his way, stubbornly.

'Have you even considered that he might be the traitor?' She had to use all of her strength to keep him from walking away.

'My father trusted Uberto, and so do I if that will provide the chance for their release! Why are you condemning him, while you don't even know him?' His sharp eyes pierced hers, and she had to keep her face contained.

'Let's just call it a hunch. And let me point out that my hunches are most of the time correct!' Iola spoke, then added sputtering; 'You wouldn't even last a day out there alone. So, stay here.'

'And leave them to die? I have to deliver these, so they'll go free!' Ezio's voice started to get more out of control, he was on the verge of breaking free from Iola's obstruction in the doorway.

'Ezio!'

But Ezio was already running down the stairs, down the hall, towards the front door. Iola quickly ran after him, and jumped down from the first floor to the hall below. She was too late, however, for Ezio had already left through the front entrance.

As she stormed outside she heard more voices than just Ezio's. Iola ran to the inside plaza and saw two guards, charging at Ezio, swords drawn.

She crunched her teeth together when she saw one of the guards stabbing at Ezio, who could not raise his sword fast enough. The guard slightly cut the flesh of his right shoulder. Iola's anger flared and she pulled out a small dagger from her belt. With their attention at Ezio, the closest guard never saw her coming.

Before she knew it, Iola's knife had cut through the soft flesh of the guards throat. Before the limp body hit the ground, Ezio had already taken down the second guard, countering his attack.

When he was fully stretched again, he looked at Iola curiously.

'How did you do tha - ?' He started, but she cut him off.

'Surprised a _femme_ can do that?' She shot back, but then motioned to the two dead guards at their feet, 'These mean that they are still looking for you. Back-up can arrive every moment.'

'I will go bring these letters to Alberti, even if you don't want me to. It is my only chance to free my brothers and father.' His head was lined with determination. He turned and stormed off.

'Ezio, don't!' Iola yelled after him. In her hurry to get away, she stumbled over the dead guard. It bought Ezio some time, and soon he was out of sight. Iola realized she wouldn't be able to overtake him.

'Fine! Go out and die! Not like I care...' She yelled after him in frustration, but her voice betrayed a soft edge. She slapped her head and cursed herself for not stopping him. Giovanni Auditore and his sons had just been condemned to death.

As the night slumbered on, Iola watched the streets from the Auditore roof and waited for Ezio's return. He didn't, however, and must have found sanctuary somewhere else. Avis flew up to her, screeching softly. Iola eyed the animal with anxiety, and stroked the magpie's head softly.

'It looks like Mario got us unintentionally in a great mess, Avis.. A mess that won't resolve itself.' She muttered, looking into the animal's black, beady eyes.

'And I'm afraid the Auditores are going to pay a terrible price for it..'


	2. Blood makes even magpies groan

**Chapter 2 : Blood makes even magpies groan.**

Iola waited that night on the Auditore roof, eying the streets around the mansion for any sign of Ezio, but he never reappeared. Avis became too bored when the first morning beams hit the sky, and left chattering, indignant for the lack of action.

When the dark sky lightened, the first merchants appeared in the streets, putting up their stalls and already calling the customers to their wares. Woman hit the streets in their most fancy dresses, showing off their status and reputation. Working men eyed them carefully from the corners of their eyes, not wanting to cause trouble because of their desires. Men of nobility, however, openly exposed their findings about the other sex, occasionally smacking ones bum.

When more and more people hit the streets, the more Iola's anxiety increased. She whistled sharply to summon an agitated Avis, and worked her way down from the roof, holding her head down. Woman and bird followed the stream of the people, while listening to their whispers and conversations. It seemed an execution had been planned for this morning, and Iola gulped slightly when her suspicions about the condemned turned out correct.

Before following the crowd to the piazza where the execution would be performed, Iola slipped down on a bench, making sure no guards were close by. She overheard a fat, husky woman with greasy hair and a smooth voice. The woman wore a red dress, which seemed to nearly crack open because of her posture. It was a miracle by itself that she had been able to get it on. The woman was talking to a tiny woman, who seemed like she could use a bath.

' - .. poor boy went crazy when they took his father, fell into some kind of rage..' The fat woman spoke, while she eyed her environment nervously.

'What about the middle son? Did they find him yet?' The tiny fem asked the other, her nostrils flaring. A shiver of disgust stalked over Iola's spine.

'No, they didn't! _Mio Dio.._ I heard he's absolutely lethal! An abomination to society! They better do catch him swiftly or else I sure am..-' The fat woman continued, while licking her lips unconsciously, as if the new gossip had pleasured her senses. The rest of her words were drowned out by the crowd's buzzing, while Iola blended in again, disgusted even more by the people's simple minded opinions.

The black hooded woman slowly followed the flow of the people, which easily lead her to the plaza where the execution-platform was already set up.

As the alley opened up to the plaza, Iola's heart skidded furiously. They had already begun. Uberto Alberti was spicing up the crowd with accusations against the three people on the platform: Giovanni, Federico and little Petruccio Auditore. Behind Alberti stood a hooded man, the cardinal's emblem decorating his shoulder.

Avis screeched softly, uncomfortable in such a large mass. Iola soothingly stroked the bird's chest, while she eyed the crowd around her with flitting eyes. There was still no sign of Ezio, but it was quite certain he was somewhere there, hidden in the public mass. Frustrated, Iola spoke quietly to the magpie.

'Go see if you can find him, Avis. You've better eyes than I have.'

The magpie chattered once, then took off from the woman's shoulder and started to circle high above the plaza and the crowd. Iola's gaze flitted from the bird to the surrounding buildings. There were archers on the roofs. _Merda_, she thought, I have to take them out, before they shoot that Auditore boy to pieces.

She quickly climbed up the nearest building, not caring who might be watching, for everyone had its attention to the platform. She scanned the crowd, but her sight failed her again. The archers around her hadn't noticed Iola yet, and she charged immediately at the first one, drawing one of the broadswords strapped to her back.

'Giovanni Auditore!' Uberto's voice echoed across the plaza, just barely audible above the cheering of the crowd. Iola had reached the first archer, who finally saw the approaching female, and she took him down, while listening to Uberto's voice. Somewhere, Avis chattered loudly, and Iola rose from the dead guard, trying to visualize the bird. A streak of black shot across the plaza, aiming straight for a white hooded man. The magpie soared up again, as if she had never intended to aim for the man. The man clad in white was trying desperately to force his way through the crowd, but did not make it far.

'You and your accomplishes stand accused of the crime of treason. Have you any evidence to counter this charge?' Alberti's voice was experienced. He had stirred up the crowd before. Iola couldn't help but hear the similarity between Giovanni's voice and Mario's. Not tarrying, Iola sprinted towards the second archer.

'Yes, the documents that were delivered to you last night!' Giovanni's voice was desperate, but still full of rage.

'I am afraid I know nothing of these documents.' Uberto said, his hands wide and open, a gesture of honesty, although his voice betrayed a contradicting smugness.

Ezio's voice was audible above the crowds yelling, but it was lost anyway. He had been forcing people aside, but he stood still for a moment to express his dismay.

'He's lying!'

Uberto continued like no one interrupted him. Iola softly growled, furious with the man's betrayal, but expressed my frustration at the second archer. The man fell to her blade, groaning as he hit the ground.

'In the absence of any compelling evidence to the contrary I am bound to pronounce you.. guilty!' He pointed at Giovanni and continued, a sick kind of joy expressing in his voice.

'You and your collaborators are here by sentenced.. to death!' He took a step back and rested his hand on the bar. Iola sat there, next to the fallen guard, unable to turn away her eyes from the scene on the plaza below.

'You are the traitor, Uberto and one of them! You may take our lives this day, but we will have yours in return I swear! We will - ' Giovanni's voice was cut off, when Uberto pulled the handle. Iola crunched her teeth together and growled, shutting her eyes tightly. Her hands shivered with the urge to pull out her dagger, but the knowledge of Uberto being out of her reach kept her frozen at the roof. Ezio's scream ripped through the sky.

'Father!'

Iola's eyes flustered open and the adrenaline in her blood took charge. She saw Ezio make his way through the crowd once again, feral loss scarring his visage.

This time Uberto pointed at the approaching Ezio. 'There! Grab the boy, he's one of them!'

Two groups of soldiers quickly approached the platform, while the mass of people tried to flee from the unknown criminal. Suddenly Iola's vision blurred. Ezio had taken out his sword, but it was snatched away by some huge guard, who was holding a gigantic axe. The next moment Ezio was running away, fleeing the plaza and the guards behind him.

Iola's vision flared again. Sudden exhaustion made her muscles shiver. Not understanding the lack of energy, she tried to rise from her crouch, but blistering pain erupted from her thigh. Groaning, she brought her hand to her leg, and felt a small, but sharp knife imbued in her upper leg. Blood was gushing out of the wound, and dripped down to the roof. The second archer, brought down by Iola, grinned at her, removed his grip from the knife and fell down again, and his eyes finally reached the deathly blankness.

Iola hissed softly, pulled out the knife from her thigh with a snarl on her face, but then faltered again. She tried to rise to her feet, but instead stumbled somewhat forward.

The edge of the roof. Black. Flashes. Pain once again erupting from her leg. Sudden wind coming from below. She was falling. Pain in her shoulder.

Somewhere, Avis chattered, anxious, but then Iola's mind clouded with darkness.

* * *

The moment Ezio had lost his guards, he sat down on a small bench, bending forward, his face hidden by his cowl. He forced his breathing to calm, and after a while he eyed the crowd massing through the street as casually as possible. Guards flitted through the civilians, pushing them aside, yelling and forcing themselves through the mass with their swords and lances.

Ezio pinched his eyes shut. This couldn't be. They couldn't be just gone.

He jostled his head softly. He had to get off the streets. He would go to Anetta's sister, where his mother and Claudia had found sanctuary. From there he would go and find Alberti.

He slowly rose from his seat on the bench and joined a small group of civilians. He followed them, but quickly leaped into an alley when a large group of soldiers sped by. From that moment he restricted himself to the roofs, jumping and scaling his way across them. On his escape from the Piazza della Signoria he had run exactly the wrong way, for now, on his way back to safety, he had to cross it again. He wanted to take a long way around it, but a new group of patrolling guards drove him into a small alley next to the Piazza.

He pressed himself to the walls, hiding in the shadows, and only dared breathing normally again when they had long departed from sight. He backed away though, reluctant of reentering the public streets. He leaped forward, when his left foot bumped against something. A soft grumbling, heaving sound followed. Ezio turned around swiftly, almost spraining his neck, to see what the obstruction was. He crouched down immediately and hissed softly when he saw a woman lying on the ground. He recognized her as the woman he nearly choked when he went to retrieve the contents of his father's chest. She was curled up on the ground, her legs pulled up halfway to her chest, her smooth black hair escaping from her hood and covering half of her face. Her breathing was rigid and heavy and when Ezio lifted his right hand to eye-level, he saw it was red with her blood.

Reluctantly eying the femme, Ezio sighed, and scooped the young woman up into his arms. She growled softly when the wound on her thigh ached painfully.

'_Scusi, signorina_, but it is necessary for the moment..' Ezio muttered.

He made his way towards La Rosa Colta, the woman stirring and struggling in his arms. 'Would you just calm down?' Ezio muttered again. 'Really, we're almost there, I promise!'

Strangely, the woman slowly ceased her struggling upon those words, her head resting against Ezio's chest.

Ezio made it in one piece to La Rosa Colta, finding his way through small alleys and dodging the more crowded streets, which buzzed with both guards and civilians looking for him. When he could see the brothel, he stopped. He would have to cross a small plaza to get to the front door, but Ezio's reluctance was caused by the many men hanging around there. He looked around, adjusted his grip on the woman in his arms, then caught the glance of one of the courtesans, who had been showing off her body to passing men.

The courtesan ceased her prancing, and poked one of her colleagues in the side, whispered something in her ear and motioned her to follow. They made their way towards the man with wide opened eyes, surprised at his advance.

On first reflex, Ezio backed away. It had only been minutes ago that he had been chased by herds of guards, and he was still cautious.

'Ezio Auditore?' One of the courtesans asked.

'.. Si..'

With a concerned glance at the woman in his arm, the courtesan motioned him. 'Follow me.'

She circled the plaza at its edge, dodging men and woman, making sure no one paid special attention to Ezio. She lead Ezio towards the front door, and managed to get him inside without anyone noticing. When they were inside, she motioned a girl and told her to fetch 'the mistress'. Ezio wondered who this 'mistress' was, but his curiosity was quickly satisfied.

A woman dressed into a tight crimson dress that accentuated her curves approached them. Her hair was long and black, and was braided with the same fabric as her dress. Her forehead was decorated with a chain of pearls, a similar necklace decorating her neck. Anetta, the Auditore's maid, appeared from upstairs, her eyes wildly checking around the room.

'Ezio, lay her down here.' The woman in red spoke, as she hastened towards an empty table, calmly instructing her girls with orders to fetch heated water and pieces of cloth. Without questioning the woman's motives, Ezio gently laid the woman in his arms onto the table, and remained there to support her head. She slowly started struggling again, her arms flailing weakly and her head turning to and fro.

'Anetta! Come over here and help me stop the bleeding! Luzia, where are those pieces of cloth?' The woman in red spoke again, this time raising her voice only slightly. She went to stand next to Ezio, and Anetta took place on the other side of the table. The woman inspected the unconscious woman's thigh, trying to make out the depth of the wound. She instructed Anetta to press a white rag onto the wound, and told Ezio to keep the woman down while they worked on her leg.

Moaning in disarray, injured Iola shot back up, but Ezio pinned her to the table, his hands holding down her struggling arms.

'Mhmm, she's lucky. The wound should be able to heal on it's own, no stitching shall be needed.' The woman in red spoke. She then instructed Anetta and one of the watching courtesans to bandage the wound tightly, and send out another courtesan to fetch some pine needles from the market, which could help relieve some of the woman's pain. Ezio watched the woman work on their patient, and he caught himself at one moment gazing at the woman's face, framed by hair as dark as the night sky. She stirred from time to time, when her wound was either poked or touched, and let out soft groans.

After the bandage was fixed, and the bleeding from her thigh was stopped, the woman was brought upstairs to rest, away from the noisy room. Ezio watched her go, hesitantly offered to carry her, but his offer was declined as the courtesans already carried her up the stairs.

Now that his main goal to get at La Rosa Colta had been brought upstairs, Ezio looked around for the woman in red. She was not far away, and advanced him with an undeniable air of command and grace.

'You reached my home just in time, _messere_, your female friend has lost a lot of blood.'

'Thank you for opening your home to her and my family, _Madonna ..._?' Ezio eyed the woman with a new gleam of interest.

'_Ti prego_, call me Paola.' The woman spoke softly. 'It was the least I could do. You must be tired. Perhaps you'd li-'

Ezio threw up his hands to stop her. '_No, grazie_, I can't stay.'

'Why? Where are you going?'

'To kill Uberto Alberti..' Ezio muttered darkly, while he hid his face from Paola by turning away from her.

'I understand your desire for vengeance, but The Gonfaloniere is a powerful man. You're not a killer, Ezio-' She began.

'Spare me the lecture.' Ezio spoke, annoyed with everyone trying to tell him what he was and what not.

'- But I can make you one.' Paola continued, a smile playing along her lips.

'And why are you going to teach me how to kill?' Ezio laughed. He turned back again, facing Paola, curious with her next response.

'I'm not. I'm going to teach you how to survive.' She spoke with a smirk. She laid her hand on his shoulder and motioned him to follow. 'Come.'

Ezio followed, reluctant to leave without having seen his mother and sister, and the raven-haired woman playing along the corner of his mind, but curiosity won. He would see them soon enough. Them meaning his sister and mother. He intended to see the unknown, now recovering woman, way sooner. He smirked. He had nearly choked her, then she had pointed a sword at him and nearly cut his throat. And now, here he was, having saved her life. Looked like he was ahead in the game.

* * *

Reviews anyone o3o ?

- Did not mean to use so much lines from the actual game, will try to simmer it down a bit.


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